Appeal to bring refugees' family over to Cumbria to be with them

Michelle Wall, from Abbeytown, is making a plea to bring the couple's grandchildren, daughter and son-in-law to Cumbria after learning of the conditions they are living in - yet the number of British people who are willing to house the refugees has dropped dramatically one year on from the start of the war.

The couple, who are simply referred to as Nana and Grandad, live with the Wall family and help care for Noah, Michelle's 10-year-old disabled son.

Ms Wall said: "They have three grandchildren, a daughter and a son-in-law.

"Nana and Grandad's family live around 500km away from a gas pipe and they are worried if that gets bombed, it would immediately take their home.

Nana and Noah together (Image: Newsquest)

"They cannot live a normal life, they are all on mattress in the front room as this is the strongest part of the house to protect them from bombings.

"They are cooking in the garden on the BBQ as they have got no electricty, no gas and no water. They will get ill living like this.

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"It is five people to bring over but I am reaching out to people to seriously consider helping me reunite this amazing family because Nana and Grandad are heartbroken."

Using translation software, Nana had told ITV: "In the summer, the children did not want to go anywhere as they thought the war would soon end, but it got much worse.

"It got much scarier so they changed their mind on staying."

Nana told the News & Star: "When the war is over it is going to be so hard to leave this home but for now we are desperate to keep the family safe."

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When the appeal to home refugees was first introduced last year, the uptake and response was huge.

There are 86,700 currently using the Ukraine Family scheme and 183,000 using the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Michelle believes the amount of people getting involved has dramatically dropped. She said: "We noticed that there were thousands of people offering support right at the beginning but now, I think this week there were 10.

"I just want people to realise that things are worse now than they were in the beginning of the war and they are desperate for help, and there is no support.

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"I think its been a massive culture shock for them. A lot of paperwork and getting registered at the doctors and having to do things differently than at home but I think they have done amazingly well to fit into our home with Noah."

The family fly both flags at their home (Image: Newsquest)

"But there is the worry, nightmares and the constant notification on their phone telling them what is going on and the maps that Nana shows me of the sirens and the whole of Ukraine is in red alert.

"The tears and the upset of knowing that there is nothing they can do and their family is in danger."

If you can offer help and support to Nana and Grandad, please email grandadukraine@yahoo.com.